I have been reading much here lately. Thank you to those that have been patiently answering my questions. One thing I have read is that there are 101 contradictions in the Bible. I have seen websites that list some, but I would really like to learn what they are and the Muslim perspective thereon. Thank you.
(a) Three months (2 Kings 24:8)
(b) Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9)
8.The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?
(a) Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)
(b) Three hundred (I Chronicles 11: 11)
9.When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?
(a) After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)
(b) Before (I Chronicles 13 and 14)
10.How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?
(a) Two (Genesis 6:19, 20)
(b) Seven (Genesis 7:2). But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)
11.When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?
(a) One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4)
(b) Seven thousand (I Chronicles 18:4)
12.How many stalls for horses did Solomon have?
(a) Forty thousand (I Kings 4:26)
(b) Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25)
13.In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die?
(a) Twenty-sixth year (I Kings 15:33 - 16:8)
(b) Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1)
14.How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the temple?
(a) Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2)
(b) Three thousand three hundred (I Kings 5:16)
15.Solomon built a facility containing how many baths?
(a) Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26)
(b) Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)
16.Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many were the children of Pahrath-Moab?
(a) Two thousand eight hundred and twelve (Ezra 2:6)
(b) Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah 7:11)
17.How many were the children of Zattu?
(a) Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra 2:8)
(b) Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13)
18.How many were the children of Azgad?
(a) One thousand two hundred and twenty-two (Ezra 2:12)
(b) Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (Nehemiah 7:17)
19.How many were the children of Adin?
(a) Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra 2:15)
(b) Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20)
20.How many were the children of Hashum?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:19)
(b) Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22)
21.How many were the children of Bethel and Ai?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:28)
(b) One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah 7:32)
22.Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole assembly was 42,360. Yet the numbers do not add up to anything close. The totals obtained from each book is as follows:
(a) 29,818 (Ezra)
(b) 31,089 (Nehemiah)
23.How many singers accompanied the assembly?
(a) Two hundred (Ezra 2:65)
(b) Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67)
24.What was the name of King Abijah’s mother?
(a) Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2)
(b) Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20) But Absalom had only one daughter whose name was Tamar (2 Samuel 14:27)
25.Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem?
29.Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?
(a) Abiud (Matthew 1: 13)
(b) Rhesa (Luke 3:27) but the seven sons of Zerubbabel are as follows: i. Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii. Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v. Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (I Chronicles 3:19, 20). The names Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anyway.
(a) Yes (Matthew II: 14, 17:10-13)
(b) No (John 1:19-21)
35.Would Jesus inherit David’s throne?
(a) Yes. So said the angel (Luke 1:32)
(b) No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1: I 1, I Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was cursed by God so that none of his descendants can sit upon David’s throne (Jeremiah 36:30)
36.Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?
(a) One - a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3 5). “And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it.”
(b) Two - a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). “They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments on them and he sat thereon.”
37.How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?
(a) By a revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)
(b) His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41)
38.Where did Jesus first meet Simon Peter and Andrew?
(a) By the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22)
(b) On the banks of river Jordan (John 1:42). After that, Jesus decided to go to Galilee (John 1:43)
39.When Jesus met Jairus was Jairus’ daughter already dead?
(a) Yes. Matthew 9:18 quotes him as saying, “My daughter has just died.”
(b) No. Mark 5:23 quotes him as saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death.”
40.Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey?
(a) Yes (Mark6: 8)
(b) No (Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3)
41.Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?
(a) Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16)
(b) No (Luke 9:9)
42.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus before his baptism?
(a) Yes (Matthew 3:13-14)
(b) No (John 1:32,33)
43.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism?
(a) Yes (John 1:32, 33)
(b) No (Matthew 11:2)
44.According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own witness?
(a) “If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true” (John 5:3 1)
(b) “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true” (John 8:14)
45.When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day?
(a) Yes (Matthew 21:12)
(b) No. He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he went to Bethany to spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark I 1:1- 17). 46.The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?
(a) Yes. (Matthew 21:19)
(b) No. It withered overnight (Mark II: 20)
47.Did Judas kiss Jesus?
(a) Yes (Matthew 26:48-50)
(b) No. Judas could not get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-12)
48.What did Jesus say about Peter’s denial?
(a) “The cock will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:38).
(b) “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times” (Mark 14:30). When the cock crowed once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore prediction (a) failed.
49.Did Jesus bear his own cross?
(a) Yes (John 19:17)
(b) No (Matthew 27:31-32)
50.Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?
(a) Yes (Matthew27: 50-5 1;MarklS: 37-38)
(b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)
51.Did Jesus say anything secretly?
(a) No. “I have said nothing secretly” (John 18:20)
(b) Yes. “He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything” (Mark 4:34). The disciples asked him “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Matthew 13: 1 0-11)
52.Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?
(a) On the cross (Mark 15:23)
(b) In Pilate’s court (John 19:14)
53.The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both thieves mock Jesus?
(a) Yes (Mark 15:32)
(b) No. One of them mocked Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43)
54.Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion?
(a) Yes. He said to the thief who defended him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)
(b) No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later, “I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17)
55.When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with him hear the voice?
(a) Yes (Acts9: 7)
(b) No (Acts22: 9)
56.When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his traveling companions also fall to the ground?
(a) Yes (Acts 26:14)
(b) No (Acts 9:7)
57.Did the voice spell out on the spot what Paul’s duties were to be?
(a) Yes (Acts 26:16-18)
(b) No. The voice commanded Paul to go into the city of Damascus and there he will be told what he must do. (Acts9: 7; 22: 10)
58.When the Israelites dwelt in ****tin they committed adultery with the daughters of Moab. God struck them with a plague. How many people died in that plague?
(a) Twenty-four thousand (Numbers 25:1 and 9)
(b) Twenty-three thousand (I Corinthians 10:8)
59.How many members of the house of Jacob came to Egypt?
60.What did Judas do with the blood money he received for betraying Jesus?
(a) He bought a field (Acts 1: 18)
(b) He threw all of it into the temple and went away. The priests could not put the blood money into the temple treasury, so they used it to buy a field to bury strangers (Matthew 27:5)
61.How did Judas die?
(a) After he threw the money into the temple he went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5)
(b) After he bought the field with the price of his evil deed he fell headlong and burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18)
62.Why is the field called “Field of Blood”?
(a) Because the priests bought it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8)
(b) Because of the bloody death of Judas therein (Acts 1:19)
63.Who is a ransom for whom?
(a) “The Son of Man came...to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). “Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom for all... “(I Timothy 2:5-6)
(b) “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright” (Proverbs 21:18)
64.Is the Law of Moses useful?
(a) Yes. “All scripture is... profitable...” (2 Timothy 3:16)
(b) No. “ . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness... “(Hebrews 7:18)
65.What was the exact wording on the cross?
(a) “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37)
(b) “The King of the Jews” (Mark 15:26)
(c) “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38)
(d) “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19)
66.Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist?
(a) Yes(Matthew 14:5)
(b) No. It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew that he was a righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20)
67.Who was the tenth disciple of Jesus in the list of twelve?
(a) Thaddaeus (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13 -19)
(b) Judas son of James is the corresponding name in Luke’s gospel (Luke 6:12-16)
68.Jesus saw a man sit at the tax collector’s office and called him to be his disciple. What was his name?
(a) Matthew (Matthew 9:9)
(b) Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)
69.Was Jesus crucified on the daytime before the Passover meal or the daytime after?
(a) After (Mark 14:12-17)
(b) Before. Before the feast of the Passover (John 1) Judas went out at night (John 13:30). The other disciples thought he was going out to buy supplies to prepare for the Passover meal (John 13:29). When Jesus was arrested, the Jews did not enter Pilate’s judgment hail because they wanted to stay clean to eat the Passover (John 18:28). When the judgment was pronounced against Jesus, it was about the sixth hour on the day of Preparation for the Passover (John 19:14)
70.Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion?
(a) Yes. (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)
(b) No. (John 12:27)
71.In the gospels which say that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, how many times did ‘he move away from his disciples to pray?
(a) Three (Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42)
(b) One. No opening is left for another two times. (Luke 22:39-46)
72.Matthew and Mark agree that Jesus went away and prayed three times. What were the words of the second prayer?
(a) Mark does not give the words but he says that the words were the same as the first prayer (Mark 14:3 9)
(b) Matthew gives us the words, and we can see that they are not the same as in the first (Matthew 26:42)
73.What did the centurion say when Jesus dies?
(a) “Certainly this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47)
(b) “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39)
74.When Jesus said “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me? ” in what language did he speak?
(a) Hebrew: the words are “Eloi, Eloi…“(Matthew 27:46)
(b) Aramaic: the words are “Eloi, Eloi... “(Mark 15:34)
75.According to the gospels, what were the last words of Jesus before he died?
(a) “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46)
(b) "It is finished" (John 19:30).
76.When Jesus entered Capernaum he healed the slave of a centurion. Did the centurion come personally to request Jesus for this?
(a) Yes (Matthew 8:5)
(b) No. He sent some elders of the Jews and his friends (Luke 7:3,6)
77.
(a) Adam was told that if and when he eats the forbidden fruit he would die the same day (Genesis 2:17)
(b) Adam ate the fruit and went on to live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5)
78.
(a) God decided that the life span of humans will be limited to 120 years (Genesis 6:3)
(b) Many people born after that lived longer than 120. Arpachshad lived 438 years. His son Shelah lived 433 years. His son Eber lived 464 years, etc. (Genesis 11:12-16)
79.Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven?
(a) No (John 3:13)
(b) Yes. “And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11)
80.Who was high priest when David went into the house of God and ate the consecrated bread?
(a) Abiathar (Mark 2:26)
(b) Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20)
81.Was Jesus’ body wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs?
(a) Yes and his female disciples witnessed his burial (John 19:39-40)
(b) No. Jesus was simply wrapped in a linen shroud. Then the women bought and prepared spices “so that they may go and anoint him [Jesus)” (Mark 16: 1)
82.When did the women buy the spices?
(a) After “the Sabbath was past” (Mark 16:1)
(b) Before the Sabbath. The women “prepared spices and ointments.” Then, “on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment” (Luke 23:55 to 24:1)
83.At what time of day did the women visit the tomb?
(a) “Toward the dawn” (Matthew 28: 1)
(b) “When the sun had risen” (Mark 16:2)
84.What was the purpose for which the women went to the tomb?
(a) To anoint Jesus’ body with spices (Mark 16: 1; Luke 23:55 to 24: 1)
(b) To see the tomb. Nothing about spices here (Matthew 28: 1)
(c) For no specified reason. In this gospel the wrapping with spices had been done before the Sabbath (John 20: 1)
85.A large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb. Where was the stone when the women arrived? (a) They saw that the stone was “Rolled back” (Mark 16:4) They found the stone “rolled away from the tomb” (Luke 24:2) They saw that “the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1)
(b) As the women approached, an angel descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and conversed with the women. Matthew made the women witness the spectacular rolling away of the stone (Matthew 28:1-6)
86.Did anyone tell the women what happened to Jesus’ body?
(a) Yes. “A young man in a white robe” (Mark 16:5). “Two men ... in dazzling apparel” later described as angels (Luke 24:4 and 24:23). An angel - the one who rolled back the stone (Matthew 16:2). In each case the women were told that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5 footnote)
(b) No. Mary met no one and returned saying, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him” (John 20:2)
87.When did Mary Magdelene first meet the resurrected Jesus? And how did she react?
(a) Mary and the other women met Jesus on their way back from their first and only visit to the tomb. They took hold of his feet and worshipped him (Matthew 28:9)
(b) On her second visit to the tomb Mary met Jesus just outside the tomb. When she saw Jesus she did not recognize him. She mistook him for the gardener. She still thinks that Jesus’ body is laid to rest somewhere and she demands to know where. But when Jesus said her name she at once recognized him and called him “Teacher.” Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me...” (John 20:11 to 17)
88.What was Jesus’ instruction for his disciples?
(a) “Tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 2 8: 10)
(b) “Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17)
89.When did the disciples return to Galilee?
(a) Immediately, because when they saw Jesus in Galilee “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). This period of uncertainty should not persist
(b) After at least 40 days. That evening the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:3 3). Jesus appeared to them there and told them, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). He was appearing to them “during forty days” (Acts 1:3), and “charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise ... “(Acts 1:4)
90.To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph?
(a) “To the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:28)
(b) “To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh” (Genesis 37:36)
91.Who brought Joseph to Egypt?
(a) The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then “took Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28)
(b) “The Midianites had sold him in Egypt” (Genesis 37:36)
(c) Joseph said to his brothers “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt” (Genesis 45:4)
92.Does God change his mind?
(a) Yes. “The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I repent that I have made Saul King...” (I Samuel 15:10 to 11)
(b) No. God “will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent” (I Samuel 15:29)
(c) Yes. “And the Lord repented that he had made Saul King over Israel” (I Samuel 15:35).
Notice that the above three quotes are all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows that God repented on several other occasions:
i. “The Lord was sorry that he made man” (Genesis 6:6)
“I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7)
ii. “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people” (Exodus 32:14).
iii. (Lots of other such references).
93.The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the magicians did the same by their secret arts. Then comes the following feat:
(a) Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21)
(b) The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water left to convert into blood.
94.Who killed Goliath?
(a) David (I Samuel 17:23, 50)
(b) Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19) 95.Who killed Saul? (a) “Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.... Thus Saul died... (I Samuel 31:4-6)
(b) An Amalekite slew him (2 Samuel 1:1- 16)
96.Does every man sin?
(a) Yes. “There is no man who does not sin” (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:810)
(b) No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. “Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. (I John 5:1). “We should be called children of God; and so we are” (I John 3: 1). “He who loves is born of God” (I John 4:7). “No one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God” (I John 3:9). But, then again, Yes! “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8)
97.Who will bear whose burden?
(a) “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)
(b) “Each man will have to bear his own load” (Galatians 6:5)
98.How many disciples did Jesus appear to after his resurrection?
(a) Twelve (I Corinthians 15:5)
(b) Eleven (Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:9-26, see also Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14 footnote; Luke 24:9; Luke 24:3 3)
99.Where was Jesus three days after his baptism?
(a) After his baptism, “the spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days ... (Mark 1:12-13)
(b) Next day after the baptism, Jesus selected two disciples. Second day: Jesus went to Galilee - two more disciples. Third day: Jesus was at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee (see John 1:35; 1:43; 2:1-11)
100.Was baby Jesus’ life threatened in Jerusalem?
(a) Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23)
(b) No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee (Luke 2:21-40)
101.When Jesus walked on water how did the disciples respond?
(a) They worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33)
(b) “They were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:51-52)
and I leave you in peace with your talk with Br. Eesa
I have been reading much here lately. Thank you to those that have been patiently answering my questions. One thing I have read is that there are 101 contradictions in the Bible. I have seen websites that list some, but I would really like to learn what they are and the Muslim perspective thereon. Thank you.
My perspective, shared by some, is that the New Testament is NOT the Gospel of Jesus/Isa(as), but rather contains the gospels of 4 persons not completely identified written decades after his ascension into heaven and the majority of the "books" are letters by Paul, who never knew Jesus/Isa(as). so as i don't belive them to be "source" documents, inconsistencies and contradictions are irrelevant.
the Old Testament appears to be compiled first by Jeremiah and or his scribe Baruch and later by Ezra and or his fellow Nehemiah. as we no longer have access to the original documents in the original scripts, i expect there to be inconsistencies and contradictions.
as we believe the Qur'an that we have today is the exact same as that delivered to the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) by Jibreel(as) from Allah(SWT), there are no inconsistencies and contradictions!
simple enough?
Had the non-believer known of all the Mercy which is in the Hands of Allah, he would not lose hope of entering Paradise, and had the believer known of all the punishment which is present with Allah, he would not consider himself safe from the Hell-Fire http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html
I have been reading much here lately. Thank you to those that have been patiently answering my questions. One thing I have read is that there are 101 contradictions in the Bible. I have seen websites that list some, but I would really like to learn what they are and the Muslim perspective thereon. Thank you.
Ok, well what I'd thought of doing was to give you my understanding of what I had seen and heard and spoke to people about, mainly people who called themselves Christians.
I will say people who call themselves Christian because I know that their views might be or might not be shared by others who call themselves Christian.
I will just say that the contradictions based on language, i.e. someone says something happend whilst someone else says something else happend, are contradictions that are either, false and people out of zeal have claimed it to be a contradiction, or contradictions which are true but are hard to prove specially since the meaning can be changed by a person if they wish, since the Bible in it's totality has not got a standard explanation book (Tafsir). Numerical contradictions are hardly disproved, although some use some twisted logic to try to get out of them, but thats life, and some just claim that those are copiest errors.
When one says there are 101 Contradictions in the Bible, what does this mean to a Christian? To someone who believes in the Bible. The reactions can be catagorised into various groups, mainly depending on what the person believes the Bible to be.
One group might believe the Bible is the total word of God, in it's totality, word for word, such people when shows the passages of Paul saying 'I say this not the Lord' will then say 'It's the word of God except where mentioned' so, apart from those instances, they will say the Bible is word for word God dictated.
To such people, is where the contradictions hit hardest, if they believe each word is the word of God, and they believe God does not contradict Himself, then they have a problem.
Another group is the group that belives that the Bible is the word of God, but in a slightly different sense, they hold that the Bible is what God inspired people to do, for example, God didn't say 'Write this word and this word and then this one' but rather, they wrote while being inspired in meaning but not in words, so they wrote the Word of God in their words. Phrases like:
Those books [some books of the bible] have passed through the minds of men, are written in the language of men, were penned by the hands of men and bear in their style the characteristics of men
The bit inbetween the brackets is mine.
Whilst some do then say, yes, the Bible is God's Word inspired to men who wrote it down in their way, others whilst in this group, will say, No no, it is God's word totally, but, throughout time some might have made changes mainly by accident as copiest errors, so they mean the first writers, wrote exactly what God said, but the copiest might have made errors.
This later group does not suffer as much from the thought of contradictions. Because they acknowledge the possability of mistakes being in the Bible, and this would not affect their faith as much if looked at it by itself.
So it depends on you, which position you hold, as to how much it'd effect your faith, but both positions are damaging depeding on whether one persues the topic.
The path is long but I hope we meet,
After the grave and the Day, in paradise in bliss upon a reclined seat.
A traveler traveling - travelled from shirk to tawheed,
If I'm remembered for anything - let it be the Mercy I seek.
Speaking for myself, and most Christians I know, I do not think of the Bible as being a book "written" by God. It is the writings of men inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Contradictions in the Bible will exist, and it doesn't disturb me at all. I don't really care if one writer says there were 10,000 people in an army and another says a million. As a student of history I can promise you that is not unusual. When it comes to the meat and potatoes of the Bible, i.e. the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus Christ, etc, I don't see a blatant contradiction.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
Speaking for myself, and most Christians I know, I do not think of the Bible as being a book "written" by God. It is the writings of men inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Contradictions in the Bible will exist, and it doesn't disturb me at all. I don't really care if one writer says there were 10,000 people in an army and another says a million. As a student of history I can promise you that is not unusual. When it comes to the meat and potatoes of the Bible, i.e. the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus Christ, etc, I don't see a blatant contradiction.
Yes, just like my mother. I mean she holds this same view.
The path is long but I hope we meet,
After the grave and the Day, in paradise in bliss upon a reclined seat.
A traveler traveling - travelled from shirk to tawheed,
If I'm remembered for anything - let it be the Mercy I seek.
I do not know yet which category I belong to. I want to study the contradictions and think and pray on this. There is a lot here to read and Scriptures to look up. Peace.
I do not know yet which category I belong to. I want to study the contradictions and think and pray on this. There is a lot here to read and Scriptures to look up. Peace.
Well, ok, alot of them can be kind of reconciled, though, how logically I dont know. But the numerical ones are admitted to be copiest errors by many.
The path is long but I hope we meet,
After the grave and the Day, in paradise in bliss upon a reclined seat.
A traveler traveling - travelled from shirk to tawheed,
If I'm remembered for anything - let it be the Mercy I seek.
We can spend a lifetime searching through all of the various religious writings in search for contradictions.
Perhaps a better route is to look for truths that have been verified and where they can be found.
I have found the Qur'an to be verifiable and there is no need for me to search for errors or contradictions in any other scriptures. I only need to be satisfied that I know I am reading the truth. The outcome of anything else is a very moot point and of no consequence.
We can spend a lifetime searching through all of the various religious writings in search for contradictions.
Perhaps a better route is to look for truths that have been verified and where they can be found.
I have found the Qur'an to be verifiable and there is no need for me to search for errors or contradictions in any other scriptures. I only need to be satisfied that I know I am reading the truth. The outcome of anything else is a very moot point and of no consequence.
Greetings Woodrow. I think I see your point, though I will continue to examine the contradictions provided above. I hope this question does not try your patience. Can you summarize, list, or point me to a listing of the truths you refer to that have been verified and where they can be found?
Greetings Woodrow. I think I see your point, though I will continue to examine the contradictions provided above. I hope this question does not try your patience. Can you summarize, list, or point me to a listing of the truths you refer to that have been verified and where they can be found?
Strange that you should ask that. i am in the process of compiling a whole list of stuff that does a better job than I can. The list is far from complete. But give me a day or to to arrange them better and I will post what I have.
You have probably already seen some of the videos that are well distributed such as " The Scientific Miracles of the Qur'an" etc.
EDIT NOTE: There have also been a number of threads in this forum posted about various Qur'anic events that have been very well documented and verified.
Last edited by Woodrow; 03-19-2007 at 07:46 PM.
Reason: Added Note
Originally Posted by Alhabeshi
Well, ok, alot of them can be kind of reconciled, though, how logically I dont know. But the numerical ones are admitted to be copiest errors by many.
How do they know it was copied wrong?If the conflict exists in the copies, then it is logical to assume it is present in the originals as well, absent evidence to the contrary /
Why on earth anybody would assume the originals have no mistakes, when all of the copies reek with errors and contradictions is beyond me. That's a leap in logic that only the irrational can fathom.
Apologists constantly talk about the autographa, which admittedly do not exist, and no living person has ever seen. Modern versions of the Bible such as the King James, the New American standard, the Revised Standard, and the New International are nothing more than compilations, put together by a team of scholars who, after viewing a wide variety of Biblical manuscripts and codices (e.g., Codex Siniaticus, Codex Vatianus), attempted to reconstruct the alleged original writings. The fatal flaw in the entire process, even if there had been original writings, lies in the fact that hundreds of manuscripts disagree on hundreds of verses. Consequently, any version of the Bible is nothing more than the outcome of a popularity contest, in which conflicting manuscripts were reconciled with conflicting scholarly opinion. Votes, not God, gave man the Bibles of today.
the fact that the manuscripts contradict one another, and until the original is produced, the contradiction stands. Biblicists are asking us to ignore a contradiction staring us in the face, in favor of a theory that can in no way be substantiated.
The fact is that the contradiction stands, and will continue standing until evidence is produced to the contrary. The burden of proof lies on he who alleges.
As Peter Ruckman, founder of the Pensacola Bible Institute alleges, 'it is nothing but cowardice and desertion in combat'."
as i know that christians say that the four writers of the bible where having some sort of a revelation from GOD or holy spirit
and this is basicly wrong because revelation only comes to prophets (peace and blessings be upon them all) and they are the only trusted persons to deliver GOD's messages to the people
the prophets are infallible in what they report and transmit from thier GOD's revelation and no one else is like the prophets that GOD has chose them to handle these responsibilities.
Speaking for myself, and most Christians I know, I do not think of the Bible as being a book "written" by God. It is the writings of men inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Contradictions in the Bible will exist, and it doesn't disturb me at all. I don't really care if one writer says there were 10,000 people in an army and another says a million. As a student of history I can promise you that is not unusual. When it comes to the meat and potatoes of the Bible, i.e. the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus Christ, etc, I don't see a blatant contradiction.
How do you know what is true when you begin to admit certain parts are false? one of the most well-known founders of protestantism, John Wesley, said, "If there be any mistakes in the Bible there may as well be a thousand. If there be one falsehood in that book it did not come from the God of truth."
Once inerrancy goes, once the Bible is shown to be fallible, then it's no more reliable or divine than any other book on the shelf(Just as the non inspired, Historical books you study).
It is well known that most if not all human documents contain errors of one sort or another. It is unusual for a writing, particularly a writing as long as the Bible to contain absolutely no errors whatsoever. That would be an unusual or extraordinary condition. The ONUS OF PROOF IS ON THE PERSON CLAIMING THE EXTRAORDINARY. Yet, you have zero evidence for your position.
The principle of falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus (false in one thing, false in everything) is certainly applicable to the errors under discussion. This rule of evidence recognizes that testimony found to be false in one matter should be considered unreliable in other matters. If you insist the claim of inerrancy is true, then please come up with a truly inerrant Bible. As far as I know, no such item has ever been published.
How do you know what is true when you begin to admit certain parts are false?
What a distortion of what was said. False and insignificant are not the same. It is insignificant whether there were 10,000 people in an army or a million. It was a big army. You hold that the Quran is the exact word of god. That is not what Christians say about the Bible. So your conclusions are based on erroneous assumptions.
Speaking for myself, and most Christians I know, I do not think of the Bible as being a book "written" by God. It is the writings of men inspired by the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Contradictions in the Bible will exist, and it doesn't disturb me at all. I don't really care if one writer says there were 10,000 people in an army and another says a million. As a student of history I can promise you that is not unusual. When it comes to the meat and potatoes of the Bible, i.e. the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus Christ, etc, I don't see a blatant contradiction.
Being the "word of God" and being "inspired from God" are two different things. Caesar Augustus and numerous other tyrants also believed they were "Sons of God."
What a distortion of what was said. False and insignificant are not the same. It is insignificant whether there were 10,000 people in an army or a million. It was a big army. You hold that the Quran is the exact word of god. That is not what Christians say about the Bible. So your conclusions are based on erroneous assumptions.
Christians used to think that the Bible was the literal word of God until science toppled them over and caused paradigm shifts. It is no reason why nobody takes the Bible seriously anymore and ALL countries with a Christian majority have SECULAR, no Biblical, governments/laws.
Christians used to think that the Bible was the literal word of God until science toppled them over and caused paradigm shifts. It is no reason why nobody takes the Bible seriously anymore and ALL countries with a Christian majority have SECULAR, no Biblical, governments/laws.
There is some truth to that. Christians should have done what some others did. Organizer thousands scholars to bend what was written to make it look like it all fit together. Or made up rules that states in any contradiction, what was stated last overturns what was stated first.
There is some truth to that. Christians should have done what some others did. Organizer thousands scholars to bend what was written to make it look like it all fit together. Or made up rules that states in any contradiction, what was stated last overturns what was stated first.
You are assuming that Christianity was intentionally fabricated.
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